


Welcome To The Neighbourhood

by casstayinmyass



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Baking, Bilbo Baggins/Thorin Oakenshield Fluff, Emotionally Constipated Thorin, Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Thorin Is an Idiot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-17 00:10:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11839911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/casstayinmyass/pseuds/casstayinmyass
Summary: Bilbo moves into a new townhouse, and wants to introduce himself properly to his neighbours.Thorin can't stand the cheerful new guy who just moved in next door... except when he's got the crush of all crushes on him.Bilbo's determined to make his grouchy neighbor smile- and sweets always were the way to a man's heart, weren't they?





	Welcome To The Neighbourhood

Bilbo had always had a thing for being pleasant with those he lived around. He had only moved once in his life, and that was to his last little cottage on Bag End Street. It was a lovely little house, with even lovelier neighbors... but moving into a townhome at Dale Place was necessary, both financially and lifestyle wise.

The very first week he was there, Bilbo sat down and thought of everything he could do. There was always the good old fashioned way of going up to one's neighbours' doors and introducing one's self. Of course, there were ways of making such a standard introduction _sweeter_.

Bilbo's mouth turned up into an impish grin, and the short 32 year old got to work on baking the best butterscotch fudge he possibly could.

"Oh," he muttered to himself, "Might as well bake some cookies too while I'm at it."

A little while later, Bilbo's new place smelled like a bakery, and it was wafting out the window.

"Oi! What's that smell?" Kili shouted in the home next door.

"What, you tryin' to get me to smell your farts again, ya louse?" Fili retorted, not looking up from his video game.

"If only my farts smelled so sweet," Kili laughed, placing a hand over his heart, and shoved his brother over onto the poor cat, who screeched and ran. "No, you ninny, _smell_!"

Fili rolled his eyes, abandoning his game, and breathed in. His face changed. "Smells like sugar." He and Kili grinned at each other.

"Uncle Thorin!" they both called.

"What is it?" Thorin sighed, coming downstairs. Today had him dressed in a plaid shirt and jeans with his hair tied up in a bun. He had so much work to do-- it was the worst time for his sister to pawn her two teenagers off on him to babysit for the week. They were annoying as all hell, but despite everything, Thorin loved the two dumbasses with his everything.

"Smell!" Kili exclaimed excitedly.

"What, did one of you make me coffee?" Thorin asked hopefully, picking up the cat and giving it a scratch. Fili scoffed.

"We don't like coffee," he retorted.

"Like I said, it would've been for me," Thorin grumbled under his breath, opening the cupboard to do just that. Just then, he caught a whiff of the best damn baking he had ever smelled in his life.

"I think he's smelt it," Kili whispered.

"Looks like it, he's got to have," Fili smiled.

"Where's that smell coming from?" Thorin bellowed, turning around. Just then, the doorbell rang. Fili and Kili bolted to the window to check who it was, and Thorin frowned, scratching his stomach. He wasn't expecting anyone today... he hadn't even gotten properly cleaned up for guests. Lumbering down the stairs, the 35 year old grumbled some more to himself about guests and neighbours and prying into business etc. etc..

He swung the door open.

"Hello!" a cheerful, short man beamed up at him. He had curly red hair, he was wearing a brown sweater and khaki shorts, and his smile was adorable. The man was the perfect cookie cutter- excuse the pun- of boyfriend material, with blue eyes and dimples and a stupid huggable little body. Thorin already hated him.

"What?" the taller man asked, barely cracking the door. Bitterness quickly left him as his heart floundered and flopped. The man was holding out a tray of freshly baked squares and cookies that smelled like heaven.  

"For you," the man smiled, just as wide as before as if he hadn't taken any notice at all of Thorin's sour mood, "As a gesture! I wanted to say hi to my immediate neighbours, just so that... you know... you all wouldn't think I was a jerk or something."

Thorin raised an eyebrow, and Bilbo backtracked. "Not that... you're a jerk if you don't go around giving out cookies and treats! I assume you wouldn't, but I wasn't implying that's a bad thing." He coughed, frowning at himself. Why had he included that last part? He was talking too much, wasn't he? The man standing before him was very attractive. He hadn't said that out loud too, had he?

"Thank you," Thorin replied gruffly, accepting the cookies.

"For the cookies, or for me thinking you're attractive?" Bilbo asked quickly.

"What?" Thorin asked, eyes widening.

"Oh good, so it was only in my head," the smaller man smiled tightly.

Thorin blinked, and began to close the door.

"W-wait!" the little man bounced a little. "Sorry, ehm... what's your name? I-If I might ask."

 _"Damn nosy neighbours,"_ Thorin muttered to himself, though his heart was still pounding faster. "Thorin. Thorin Oakenshield."

The man's eyebrows went up high. "Oh! Oh, very nice name. Mm yeah, that's a good one."

 _Am I supposed to thank you for saying that?_ Thorin felt like asking, narrowing his eyes. But the man just kept on smiling like a lunatic.

"I'm Bilbo Baggins."

Thorin regarded the man. The name suited him, oddly enough.

"Well, Bilbo Baggins," Thorin said slowly, swallowing. Those cookies smelled _really_ good. "...Welcome to the neighbourhood." That greeting sounded genuine. Almost.

Bilbo nodded pleasantly, hands twined behind his back, and Thorin shut the door. Immediately upon it shutting, there were excited voices... Bilbo went to walk away, but the words caught him.

_"Cute fellow, isn't he?!"_

_"You should snatch 'im up, uncle! Then he can bake for us."_

_"Will you two keep quiet?!"_ Thorin hissed, stuffing a cookie in his mouth. Fuck... they were fucking yummy. He ate two more angrily.

 Bilbo couldn't help but smile a little on the doorstep, then he hopped off to the next house.

The next few days to come, Thorin was incessantly bothered by Bilbo's housework. Not that it was particularly bothersome, but it just bothered him how cheerful that man could remain while yanking weeds and dusting shutters.

Every day on his way home from work, Thorin would catch Bilbo out in his yard, gardening with his little hat on, or taking out the trash, or leaning out the window and waving. Every time he saw the little redhead, Thorin became even more smitten.

This was not opportune.

Bilbo looked up. His cheeks flushed a little, and not from the sun either. Thorin looked even hotter than usual today in those black shorts and that tight grey t-shirt.

"Afternoon, Thorin!"

"Hi, Bilbo," Thorin replied, shooting him a small smile and a nod, ducking into his own house. Bilbo watched after him, humming. Was it just coincidence that his scowl always eased up a little after passing Bilbo's yard?

Some days, Bilbo would come knocking at Thorin's door with more treats for him.

"You seemed to enjoy the first batch, so..." Bilbo grinned up at him, presenting a plate of lemon squares. "Hope you enjoy these too."

Thorin would watch the man stroll off, pounding his fist into the doorframe. Why was he so damn cute? He didn't know how to deal with this.

After a few more visits, Bilbo's happiness began to bother Thorin less, and lift his spirits more. His cheer was infectious, and Thorin began to grow fond of seeing his neighbour out watering his flowers, or taking a walk down the path by their houses with his walking stick.

Eventually, it got to the point where poor Thorin couldn't stop thinking about Bilbo. His bright smile- his constant optimism.... He realized, all too suddenly through a revelation at 1 in the morning one night, that he had to do something about it or it would drive him crazy.

_But what?_

The next day, he spent all day trying to figure out how he could possibly approach Bilbo and confess his stupid feelings without looking like a giant sap.

"What's gotten into him?" Fili muttered to his brother, who was eating the last of the date squares Bilbo brought. 

"Don't know... ey, do you think this Bilbo guy feels bad that Uncle Thorin doesn't have anyone to cook for him? That's why he's giving him all this stuff?" 

"I think he feels _something_ ," Fili chuckled, smirking, and Kili stifled a laugh, taking another square. 

One day, not long after, it struck Thorin... the cookies! The baking! Bilbo obviously loved baking, and he was so good at it. Maybe if Thorin could just look up some amazing recipe or something, and bake something for Bilbo... he could win his heart.

Everything in his head was screaming at him not to attempt this, but when Thorin was set on something, not even he could stop himself.

The next day, he looked up a recipe for Cherry Upside Down Cake.

Maybe not the best beginner's recipe, Thorin realized after starting the instructions. But he was in it, now. No going back.

After about an hour of trying to measure everything right and getting everything into the oven, Thorin stood back and considered what he had just made. He had done a fine job, all things considered, and his house now smelled as good as Bilbo's!

Well... almost.

He stood at his window, watching Bilbo close and latch his gate. He must've just gotten home from work himself; he looked a little weary, less cheerful than he usually did. Thorin bit his lip. He could cheer him up with his baking, then... his nephews would be very proud of him.

Just then, he was snapped out of his thoughts by the alarm going off, and the smell of something burning.

"Shit!" he shouted, and ran over to where his oven was on fire. How long had he been daydreaming?!

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Bilbo ran in.

"Are you alright?!" he shouted.

"My cakes!"

"Your what?"

"My--" Thorin shouted, but Bilbo just grabbed him by the arm, rushing him outside before the smoke got him.

"Have you got any pets?" Bilbo asked, and Thorin looked at him in a daze.

"One cat..."

"Stay here," Bilbo told him sternly, and ran back in, waving the smoke away. Thorin watched with wide eyes- this fearless side of Bilbo wasn't just endearing... it was arousing. Minutes later, Bilbo returned with Smaug, and plopped him into Thorin's arms. The fire department was called, and soon, the fire was contained-- nothing was damaged, except for Thorin's stove area.

"Sorry," Thorin ran a hand through his hair, "I... I was trying to..."

Bilbo looked at him, and smirked a little, running a hand through his floppy red hair. "You haven't asked many people out, have you, Thorin?"

Thorin balked. "Wha- I...!"

"Because starting fires trying to bake them a cake is _not_ the way to do it," Bilbo chuckled, rocking back and forth on his feet. Thorin crossed his arms, and grumbled.

"But... would you..." the brunette mumbled, blinking dejectedly, "Be... opposed? To... to going out with me?"

"After all this?" Bilbo asked, eyeing Thorin. The taller man waited with baited breath as Bilbo surveyed him. "Thorin, I couldn't possibly say no! I haven't even tasted your baking yet."

Thorin and Bilbo stood there in front of both their houses in silence, just smiling beside each other for a few minutes. Finally, Thorin spoke.

"My baking, it... it's going to be god awful."

Bilbo slipped his smaller hand into Thorin's. "I know."


End file.
